The light frame construction of wall, roof or floor structures must be completed in accordance with local Building Codes. These Codes outline the requirements for construction of these structures including acceptable materials, material sizes and the configuration of the framed structures. Typical vertical wall framing practice is to mechanically fasten a series of vertical framing elements (studs) to upper and lower horizontal framing elements (header plates and sills). The studs are oriented perpendicularly to the header plates and sills and are typically spaced such that the distance between the centers of adjacent studs does not exceed 16 inches. Some framing applications require the stud spacing to be as small as 12 inches while other less stressed framing applications may permit the inter-stud spacing to increase to 24 inches.
Traditional framing techniques are based on the layout and marking of the sill and header plates with a tape measure and pencil to identify the correct stud attachment positions. The studs are then held in the correct position by the fabricator, oriented approximately perpendicularly to the sill or header plate and then mechanically fastened in place with either nails or screws. The perpendicular orientation of the studs relative to the sill or header plate is typically confirmed using a framing square. It can be difficult to hold the stud in the correct location and at the correct orientation while mechanically fastening the stud to the sill or header plate without the assistance of a helper, particularly for persons who do not do this for a living. It should be noted that the construction of framing elements can be completed either as a separate module to be installed in the structure as a single element (horizontal framing) or they can be constructed in place during the fabrication of the building (vertical framing). In either case, the studs are typically located, oriented and fastened in place according to the above described process with similar challenges associated with the correct positioning and orientation of the studs relative to the sill and header plates. In addition, framing elements fabricated in place require the use of a fastening technique called toe-nailing wherein the fabricator attaches the studs to the plates by driving the fasteners at an angle through the studs and into the sill and header plates since it is impossible to fasten through the plates into the studs once the plates have been installed.
During the construction of wall elements, it may be desirable to include openings in the framing for windows and doors. These elements also require the accurate layout, location and orientation of framing elements.
There are numerous framing aids that have been developed that focus on the accurate spacing of studs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,334 to Payne (1996) discloses a tool that spaces the studs the correct distance but does not address the need to hold the stud perpendicular to either the sill or the header plate.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2008/0006976 A1 by Riley addresses the need to brace the studs during fastening but describes the use of two small flanges on either side of the stud openings to provide this functionality. This method cannot be relied upon to accurately orient a stud the length of which is approximately 200 times the height of these flanges. This tool is not suitable for framing elements that are less than 3½″ in depth and requires the use of temporary fasters to positively locate the tool to the sill or header plate since the tool does not positively engage the framing elements on its own. In addition, this tool would be very cumbersome to use based on its length and utilizes spacers to position the studs at various spacings that could result in errors if used incorrectly by an unskilled worker.
A stud spacing and orientation jig disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,567,586 to Werder (1951) uses an angle iron with positioning lugs to orient the timbers in the desired attitude. The angle iron does not allow the jig to laterally retain the timbers on its own without the use of tacking nails since the jig does not enclose the sill on each side. The installation and removal of these tacking nails would increase the time required to complete the framing task. In addition, the use of the solid positioning lugs dictates that the fabricator must end nail the studs to the sill or header plates as there would be no access to toenail the studs to the sill or header plate.
Thus, there remains a need for a tool that can be used by a single person, which is especially suited for the home handyman or so-called ‘do it yourselfer’, to accurately position, orient and retain framing elements during construction.